Belmont Park: Mott pair of Royal Delta and Ron the Greek work for Saratoga stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Royal Delta and Ron the Greek, two of trainer Bill Mott’s stars, put in workouts Sunday morning over Belmont’s main track.

Royal Delta, preparing for this Saturday’s $750,000 Delaware Handicap, was credited with a five-furlong time of 1:00.29 for a breeze that began at the half-mile pole.

Royal Delta actually shaded 47 seconds to the wire in a quick drill.

“She went maybe quicker than we wanted but she was doing it effortlessly,” Mott said.

Mott said Royal Delta would ship to Delaware the morning of the race.

A few hours later, dual Grade 1 winner Ron the Greek went four furlongs in 48.70 seconds in company with Voter. Ron the Greek has had two works since his victory in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill and is being pointed to the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 4 at Saratoga along with stablemate Flat Out, who ran second in last year’s Whitney.

“I’m pretty sure right now Flat Out and Ron the Greek, if they continue to do well,” Mott said about his potential Whitney starters. “I got to make my mind up about To Honor and Serve.”

Mott said his three options for To Honor and Serve are the Whitney, the Woodward or the Forego, a seven-furlong race. The latter two races share the same Sept. 1 date.

“I think he’s a very good miler,” Mott said. “Does that make him effective at seven-eighths? I’m not positive, but my guess is that he would.”